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Wow! I had a great night last night for the Queensland Young Achiever Awards Gala Dinner. I am so proud that I was one of 3 finalists in the Environment and Sustainability section. It was so great to meet so many amazing young people helping to make positive change.

​A big congratulations to Max Burns who is 27 and is from Townsville for winning the Environment and Sustainability Award. He does research into what is the most effective way to compost and volunteers as an area co-ordinator with a local food rescue organisation.

The other finalist in the Environment and Sustainability section was Emma Dale who is 21 and from Chapel Hill. In 2014 she founded the Red Panda Trust. The Trust breeds, rehabilitates and releases red pandas back into the wild and does research projects on wild Red Pandas! To learn more about the Trust and how you can help click here.

I also met and had a good chat with Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett who founded the Orange Sky Laundry. It is Australia's first mobile laundry service for homeless people. Orange Sky Laundry works in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne. So far they have washed 70 000kgs of clothes for the homeless. Nicholas and Lucas won the Create Change Award. They are also the 2016 Young Australian of the Year Award winners. Please check out their website here.

The overall 2016 Queensland Young Achiever of the Year Award winner was Justice King who is 17 and from Mt Isa. She started "The Youth League". It is a group of 12-18 year olds who run events for youth aimed to help deter crime and provide young role models in their community. Justice is also a mental health advocate and is involved with Headspace and RUOK day.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people and groups that have supported me. I really appreciate all of you!